This is a Grey Wolf in Summer coat, whose territory lays within a large river estuary. His home is in a coastal temperate rainforest on the outer South West coast of Vancouver Island. These video were captured along a well used game corridor frequented by Roosevelt Elk, Black Bear, Black-tail Deer, River Otter, Raccoon, Mink, the occasional Cougar and other Wolf pack members. Life is tough for these top predators and injuries are common, as seen with it's noticeable limp.

Here's a link to the videos:

_________________To greater appreciate an animal is to walk in its footsteps

Great video, really good to get the scent roll. Nice looking animal for one in summer coat; looks like he was kicked by some prey animal. Did you use a lure or was that a natural scent the wolf was rolling in?

Great video, really good to get the scent roll. Nice looking animal for one in summer coat; looks like he was kicked by some prey animal. Did you use a lure or was that a natural scent the wolf was rolling in?

Thanks Woody, nope just mee pee

_________________To greater appreciate an animal is to walk in its footsteps

Unless you have something to catch the interest of a marauding Wolf. All that you may end up with is a blurry picture, a tail or a 1-2 second video clip. Wolf are so darn rare, weary, cunning and fast moving. Even to get a picture of one is an accomplishment in itself. First thing I do scout around looking for Wolf tracks. I target sand bars, old roads, game trails, mud holes and in areas of high ungulate activity. Searching a few days after rains helps out alot. I then look further to establish their travel route. Once I get a mental picture of the prefered direction of travel, I assess that route for a suitable camera location. With this particular video cam, lighting is key I have found so that is always on my mind. Once a suitable location is found, I remove my pack, my dog sniffs the area and I start to secure my camera in place. While doing this, my dog usually ceases this opportunity to lay down and rest. Most often this is done where I lay my pack down. Which I typically plant in front of my cam as a focal point. If there's a fresh scent of other predators in the vicinity then my dog often pees to mark. Once my setup is complete. I grab my pack and have a whiz of my own.

So what I end up with is a camera aiming at a know travel route. Scented with other passing animals, the scent of my dog's fur and pee, my sweaty pack and my pee. Either a freshly marked Bear tree, a mock or real Cougar scratch pile also helps as a visual lure. Wolf have an incredible sense of smell and will often stop to investigate.

As I tracked this Wolf last weekend, I could see that when it came out onto a rolling sand bar. It crested a sandy mound and from there it circled in all directions as to investigate its surroundings. I could see Mink and many Otter tracks in that area and figured that was the source of it's interests. I should also point out that its entire travel route had Elk tracks present. In the future I will now look for similar animal activity in areas where I have seen Wolf tracks prior. I figure that these areas will maximize my chances in future sets. Presently I have a cam setup aiming in front of a pinch point which in this case is a massive log jam. The Wolf had passed through this log jam at its least congested area and came out onto the sand bar. I have my cam aimed with the sun to its back and aimed at this panoramic vantage point. This set will afford me the best chance of capturing a pic or two of a passing Wolf as it exits/enters this pinch point. Not to mention the likelihood of a host of other possible animals that pass on by.

So yes, as with most of us camtrappers. There is a lot of thought that goes into setting up one of my cams. A lot of exploring and tracking, choosing the right spot to maximise my chances and the rest is pure luck. Now that I have established it's travel route and that is always the biggest challenge. I'm pretty confident that I will be seeing much more of this Wolf and with any luck, other pack members. I will use no white flashes on any of my cams in these areas as to lessen the likelihood of deterring the Wolf to travel elsewhere. However, as I've said before, the pics are a bonus, it's what I learn along the way that interests me the most.

_________________To greater appreciate an animal is to walk in its footsteps

Who is online

Array

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum